Sports

WELLAND -- Notre Dame's girl for all seasons has found yet another sport in which to excel.

Vanessa Vanderzalm, already a standout in field lacrosse and in basketball, Sunday was named the most valuable player at the American Cup girls high school hockey championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., after helping the Fighting Irish capture the gold medal at the three-day tournament.

The Grade 11 student, who led Notre Dame on offence with 16 goals and two assists in five goals, found the back of the net in each one of her team's games and opening the competition with four-and six-goal performances.

She was the co-captain of the field lacrosse team that settled for silver in the spring when Notre Dame hosted the Ontario girls championships at the Welland Soccer Club. In October, Vanderzalm was a firstteam all-star at the Tribune Girls Basketball Tournament.

Vanderzalm, with four goals, Katelyn Macdonald, with two and Taylor Hrcak and Kyra Kovacs scored as the Irish defeated Listowel 8-2 in their opening game of the tournament.

In her next game Vanderzalm exploded for six goals in a 10-2 victory over Lakefield that also had Notre Dame getting goals by Taylor Wormald, Kathryn Simpson, Mary Lyn vanLankveld and Kylie Wilson.

Notre Dame blanked Ursuline College 2-0, thanks to two goals by Vander zalm, and captured the championship with a 3-1 victory, also over Ursuline College. Vanderzalm, with two goals; and Sara Simpson accounted for the offence for the Irish.

Coach Kevin Grand was pleased with the play of his entire team, saying that the Irish played with "heart, talent and determination" throughout the entire tournament.